With a great cast featuring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci, Casino is a riveting story of how the mob lost control of Las Vegas. The movie reveals how a city that mints billions in gambling profits has morphed into a place run by huge corporations that operate like Disneyland.
The film is also a warning against addiction to gambling and the dangers of compulsive betting. It points out that gambling is not just an entertainment form but can also be a serious problem for some people, causing serious financial problems and even bankruptcy. Using the power of storytelling and the energy and pacing for which Scorsese is famous, the movie gives an inside look at how casinos manipulate their patrons to keep them playing.
One of the main strategies is to encourage gambling by serving lots of booze, which lowers inhibitions and clouds judgment. The movie portrays how the dealers and floormen in a casino are heavily involved in heavy drinking and often skim money from other tables, the slot machines, food service, and the gift shops. The violence in the movie is disturbing, but it is not just for style or shock value; the scenes depicting the torture of a cheater by a vice, the attempted murder of a blackjack player and the killing of a man who robbed a casino are all real.
Casinos also create jobs for local populations and attract visitors from other areas, who spend their money in local restaurants, hotels, etc. In addition, the tax revenues generated by a casino can be used to fund essential community services and keep taxes low for all residents. The revenue that a casino generates is especially important when it opens in a neighborhood with high unemployment or poverty rates.